Ball type hitch arrangements are well known in the prior art, for pivotally securing a vehicle, trailer or the like to a pulling vehicle. In such arrangements, a ball hitch generally comprises a ball shaped knob on the end of an attachment shaft, the shaft being rigidly mounted to a frame, bumper or the like of the pulling vehicle such that the knob end extends upwardly therefrom. A coupler is mounted to another vehicle, trailer or the like and generally comprises a receiving socket which mates over the ball, to form a ball and socket arrangement enabled for removably engaging the ball. The coupler is generally a socket clamp arrangement, designed to engage the ball with a fixed structure surrounding the top and sides of the ball and a removable bottom clamping means being arranged to removably clamp the underside of the ball into the surrounding fixed structure. Such bottom clamping means must be arranged for convenient de-coupling of the hitch and generally comprises a "Y" arrangement which engages the underside of the ball where it is necked down to the attachment shaft thereof.
For general highway use such bottom clamping means is generally suitable for holding the ball within the coupler and securely maintaining the device from de-coupling. With the proliferation of sporting vehicles such as boats and off-road vehicles, it is not unusual that the arrangement is subjected to unusual stress conditions wherein the generally co-planer orientation of the coupled vehicles becomes angular, and the bottom clamping means is subjected to unusual forces which tend to strain the security of the coupler and may cause failure of the bottom clamping means. In situations wherein a ball hitch and coupler arrangement may be used as an attachment point for a winching device, angles of coupling vary dramatically from co-planer orientation; and the bottom clamping means may be more prone to failure.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved hitch lock device, for securing a ball coupler against de-coupling.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved hitch lock device which can be removably mounted to ball type towing hitch arrangements.
It is still another object of the invention to provide an improved hitch lock device which enables hitch function in a plurality of angles and planer orientations.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent in the following recitation of the invention.